Hammon locates shooting touch in rout

San Antonio Silver Stars' Becky Hammon (25) drives around Seattle Storm's Katie Smith during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Silver Stars mascot The Fox plays with fans during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Seattle Storm's Ewelina Kobryn (11), of Poland, collides with San Antonio Silver Stars' Danielle Adams during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

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San Antonio Silver Stars' Jia Perkins (7) falls into the Seattle Storm bench during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Seattle Storm's Katie Smith, center, collides with San Antonio Silver Stars' Danielle Adams, left, and Jia Perkins during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Silver Stars' Becky Hammon (25) drives around Seattle Storm's Ann Wauters, of Belgium, during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Silver Stars' Shameka Christon celebrates a three-point basket during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio.

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San Antonio Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes, left, argues a non-call with referee Daryl Humphrey during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio.

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San Antonio Silver Stars' Danielle Robinson, right, defends against Seattle Storm's Tanisha Wright during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio.

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The San Antonio Silver Stars' Star Squad performs during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

The San Antonio Silver Stars' Star Squad performs during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Seattle Storm's Svetlana Abrosimova (25) shoots over San Antonio Silver Stars' Sophia Young (33) and Danielle Adams during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Ann Wauters (12), of Belgium, shoots over San Antonio Silver Stars' Shenise Johnson during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Silver Stars' Becky Hammon (25), loses the ball as she approaches Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Silver Stars' Jayne Appel, right, and Jia Perkins laugh on the bench during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday Sept. 14, 2012, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 90-66.

Becky Hammon insisted she hadn't been doing anything different with her shooting stroke the past few weeks.

She squared up to shoot the ball the same as she always has. The release and follow-through on her shot hadn't changed, either.

The difference, she said, was in the outcome — Hammon was mired in a shooting slump that saw her miss 53 of 77 shots the previous seven games.

Hammon found her shooting touch Friday, tallying a game-high 25 points as the Silver Stars popped shorthanded Seattle 90-66 before 7,109 fans at the AT&T Center.

“I'm a shooter, so I just have to keep shooting the ball,” said Hammon, who made 10 of 15 shots, including five 3-pointers. “I was not doing anything differently tonight than I was doing the previous nights. It is just nice to see the ball going in the hole. You get in some extra shoots, and you just eventually shoot yourself out of it.”

The same can be said of the Silver Stars (19-11), who secured no worse than the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference with their second straight win.

Struggling offensively and defensively during a recent five-game skid, the Silver Stars looked more like the team that compiled a franchise-best 12-game winning streak.

They shared the ball, with players turning down open shots to pass to teammates with a higher-percentage scoring chance. They played stingy defense, forcing 21 turnovers — 15 on steals — into 23 points.

“When things were not going so well, we never gave up on ourselves,” said Silver Stars forward Shameka Christon, who had 13 points. “We were frustrated — which is normal — but we never really stopped believing. I think we've done a great job of taking a challenge on. We faced some adversity as a team, but we didn't fold.”

Instead, the Silver Stars showed they might be peaking at the right time. With Sophia Young scoring 19 points and Danielle Robinson adding 10, they outscored the Storm 52-30 in the second half, including 22-9 in the fourth quarter.

Seattle (13-17), which played without starters Sue Bird (hip flexor) and Lauren Jackson (hamstring), used early hot shooting to lead 25-20 after the first quarter. But the Storm came undone with a rash of miscues.